Charming Dragons
by writergirljenn
Summary: This story brings together two of my favorite TV characters of all time- Jax Teller from Sons of Anarchy, and Daenerys Targaryen (Khaleesi) from Game of Thrones. Now that they're both widowed, who better for them to find new love with than each other? So what if they're from different worlds? That's nothing a little creative storytelling can't fix!
1. Chapter 1

Daenerys Targaryen awoke in the dead of night, just as she always did- when the moon was at its brightest. It was then and only then that she would allow herself to grieve for her dear husband. _Moon of my life_, he would call her. _My sun and stars_, she would answer. So many times she'd looked for him in the night sky since his death- for comfort, for guidance. But she never found him. That was why she…

"Drogo!" She pulled herself up from the cold, unforgiving ground, made from a type of stone she was not familiar with. There appeared to be some sort of light across the room, but it was not a warm, breathing light like she was used to. It was steady, cold. Man-made? It couldn't be.

The Red Witch had warned Daenerys that this new land was unlike any other she'd ever been to. If she was telling the truth about that, then maybe she was telling the truth about all of it. Daenerys had taken a huge leap of faith, putting her life in Melisandre's hands, but she still couldn't bring herself to believe that all the high priestess had promised would come to be. Because if she did believe it, and then it didn't happen, it would surely kill her.

Daenerys stood, her head aching, taking in her surroundings. She was locked in a small cell with brick walls, a smooth, stone floor, and steel bars. What she'd first mistaken for moonlight and then firelight was actually coming from an odd-looking glass case attached to the ceiling.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing down a vacant corridor. This castle wasn't like any she'd seen before. It was smaller, plainer, and filled with a very strange, unnatural scent.

"It's no use," a deep voice with an unrecognizable accent called from nearby. "Bailey's the only one on duty, and that piece of shit's been sawing logs for hours." Daenerys whipped around, her braided locks following suit, to find the source of the voice.

A handsomely peculiar looking man was seated in a cell adjacent to hers, on what looked like the saddest excuse for a bed Daenerys had ever seen. He had hair nearly as fair as hers, but wore it in an odd manner- slicked back with some sort of oil. His clothes were just as strange- made of fabrics Daenerys had never seen before. His face was neither clean-shaven nor bearded, but rather in between. His eyes, though. His eyes were kind. And although Daenerys had no idea where she was, or what to expect, she did not fear this man.

"I beg your pardon, sir?" she asked. The man laughed quietly, although Daenerys couldn't imagine why.

"Not from around here, are ya?" he joked.

"I am Queen Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, First of her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons," she announced, waiting for the man to kneel before her, as all men did. Instead, he remained seated, letting out a long, low whistle.

"You must be on some killer shit, there, lady." He smiled, seemingly amused. Daenerys looked upon him with disdainful curiosity. She should have been furious that this peasant, whoever he was, was being so disrespectful. But something about the look on his face told her that her title, as long and impressive as it may be, held no weight in this strange land of tiny castles and man-made light.

"Jackson Teller," the man announced. "President of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, fixer of automobiles, eater of pizza, and father of monsters- two of 'em. I like 'dragons,' though. That's a good one."

Daenerys scoffed at his introduction, mostly because she didn't understand a word of it. "And where is 'here,' Jackson Teller?"

"Jax. Just call me Jax. You got a nickname? The guys around here have low attention spans and not a lot of patience. You might do better to stick with something shorter."

Daenerys bit her lip, considering Jax's words. She'd grown so used to her reputation preceding her, she never gave it much thought. But if her title meant nothing here, if no one knew her in this land, it might be best to play things safe- to follow the lead of this Jackson Teller, and pick up on the cues of the townspeople. If there was one thing Daenerys knew, it was how to adapt to new cultures. If she could fit in with the Dothraki, she could fit in anywhere.

"Dany," she said, cringing at the nickname her wicked brother had given her when they were children. "Dany Targaryen."

Jax smiled. "Much better. Welcome to Charming, Dany."

"Charming? Is that the name of this castle, or of your land?" Dany hoped she was close to pinning down where she was so that she could figure out how to get where she needed to be. There was much to be done, and the sooner she accomplished her mission, the sooner she would find out whether the Red Witch was telling the truth or not.

"Wow," Jax breathed, shaking his head as he chuckled. "You're really into this medieval shit, huh?" Dany locked eyes with him, her brow furrowed. "Okay," he sighed. "What the hell. I've got nothin' better to do, I'll play along. Charming is the name of this town. You're in Charming, California. You do at least know you're in Cali, right?"

Dany frowned. "California? Is that south of King's Landing? Or nearer to the Iron Islands?"

Jax laughed heartily. Dany was both offended and confused, but she refused to let him see that. "Okay, I gotta ask, darlin'. I shouldn't, but I have to. What year do you think it is?"

"Why, it's the three hundred and second year following Aegon's Landing. Surely you know that?" The perplexed look on Jax's face said otherwise.

"It's 2015 AD, sweetheart. AD means after death, as in the death of our lord, Jesus Christ."

"Who?"

"Holy shit," Jax muttered. "I need a smoke."

"A _what_?" Dany was trying not to let her frustration show, but the more she and Jax talked, the less she understood about this strange land Melisandre had sent her to. He seemed to be equally frustrated, biting his lip as he contemplated what to say next.

"Look, let's just get some shut-eye, alright? It's late. Maybe after we post bail in the morning, I'll take you out to breakfast and we can try this again. Maybe they've even got some normal clothes in evidence that they'll let you change into. 'Til then, goodnight, Mother of Dragons." Jax laid down on his very small, very uncomfortable looking bed, turning his back to Dany so as to leave no doubt that their conversation was over.

She took a seat on the edge of her identical bed, knowing Jax was right. She hadn't understood half of what he said, but she always felt better after a good night's rest and a hearty breakfast. She just hoped that 'breakfast' meant the same thing in Charming as it did back home. _Home_. Dany had spent so much time traveling over the past few years, she had no idea where home even was anymore. To her, it had always been wherever Drogo was. This place was not home. But if it led her to Drogo, and to their son, she would stay as long as she had to.


	2. Chapter 2

"Rise and shine, cupcake." Dany opened her eyes to find Jackson Teller standing just outside her cell, his hands wrapped around the bars. She'd learned many languages throughout her travels, but his language was definitely the strangest. She sat up, stretching her arms toward the low-hanging ceiling and the odd, man-made light.

"Is it morning?" she asked.

Jax nodded. "Afternoon, actually. The good ol' judge was running a little behind this morning. Anyway, I come bearing good news."

"I highly doubt that," Dany mused. She hadn't slept much, only drifting off a couple of hours before Jax woke her, so she'd had quite a while to think. She'd come to the conclusion that she needed to be cautious, and say very little. She'd been a fool to trust Melisandre, and until she figured out what she'd gotten herself into, she needed to be vigilant about her safety.

"My bail's been posted, and you're free to go. Guess there were no charges filed. They found you passed out in a park and brought you in to sleep it off. You got somewhere to go?" Dany stared at Jax, torn. She hated admitting weakness and asking for help, but she had no idea where she was or what she was facing. And as she looked into the kind stranger's deep blue eyes, she knew she'd be safe with him. She needed a guide in this strange new world. Maybe Jax could be it. "I'm not gonna hurt you," he assured her. "My kids are out of town this weekend, I've got the house to myself. You can stay in the spare bedroom until you get yourself together if you want. No offense, darlin', but you seem a little…lost." Dany swallowed the lump in her throat. The majority of what Jax said made no sense to her, but she more than understood that last word. _Lost_. She definitely was.

"Yes, thank you," she said softly, offering him a gracious smile. He nodded, then whistled down the hall.

"Yo, Ramirez. Wanna come spring our spirited friend, here?" A caramel-skinned man dressed in what appeared to be a uniform appeared, wearing the tiniest shield Dany had ever seen pinned to his chest. A black box that was neither steel nor cloth hung from his hip, strange noises and voices crackling through it. Dany jumped back, afraid. She looked to Jax. He didn't seem alarmed. "It's okay," he promised.

The man with the box of voices removed a ring of small, misshapen keys from his belt, and used one to unlock Dany's cell door.

"Ma'am," he said, nodding curtly as he pulled the door open. "Jax. Enjoy your day."

"Thanks, man," Jax answered, clapping the guard on his shoulder.

"Thank you, man," Dany repeated, trying to mimic Jax. Judging by the way both he and Ramirez guffawed, she'd failed.

With her head held high and her senses alert, Dany followed Jax out of the tiny castle, which was even more bizarre than she'd imagined. She quickly became overwhelmed by the oddly dressed people, foreign sounds and smells, and unfamiliar objects hanging on walls and sitting on tables. In an effort to calm herself, she took a deep breath, and focused only on the back of Jax's head. He pushed his way through a translucent door made of steel and glass. Dany followed, shielding her eyes from the bright afternoon sun. She hoped to find herself in familiar territory once outside, but the land was even stranger than the castle. There was no sand, no mountains, and very little meadow. Just castle upon castle, in neat rows as far as the eye could see. They were all every bit as peculiar looking as the one she'd been held captive in. The ground was made up of stone painted with yellow and white lines, and filled with steel carriages that flew by, none of them attached to horses. Nothing was familiar to Dany. For the first time in a very long time, she felt as if she might cry.

Jax led her to a strange black and silver contraption with two wheels, a seat, and two handles.

"Steel horses," she murmured, remembering the Red Witch's words. Among other things, she'd warned her of men with steel horses in the new land.

Jax turned to her, handing her a black, bowl-like hat with a fabric strap hanging from it. "What'd you say?" Dany shook her head. She turned the hat over in her hands, looking up at Jax. "Like this," he said, putting his own black hat on and strapping it under his chin. Dany did the same. She watched as he climbed onto his steel horse, wondering where hers was. When he patted the seat behind him, though, she knew that he meant for her to ride with him.

Jax's steel horse was louder and faster than any horse Dany had ever been on, and what she could see of the countryside as it streaked by was all completely foreign to her. After a brief time, they slowed and came to a stop in front of a small home that was much more colorful than the homes Dany was used to.

"Home sweet home," Jax announced, helping Dany down from the bike. She smiled, biting back the hundreds of questions on her lips. "Let's get you cleaned up and fed, and then we can talk, alright?" Dany nodded.

She was quiet as Jax gave her a tour of his home, which was filled with curious things, and when he showed her how to work the shower. She was tempted to ask him if he was alright when he set a pile of fresh clothing in the bathroom for her to change into after she'd bathed. He looked so sad, as if the garments meant something to him. But if she began asking questions, she'd be inviting him to do the same, and that wasn't something she was ready for.

The shower was nice, like bathing in her own personal rainstorm, only with much warmer and cleaner water. Dany soaked her hair, using her fingernails to scrub her scalp and untwist her braids. There were bottles of lotions and creams lining the shelves inside the shower, but she had no idea what any of them were for. On one bottle there was an outline of a woman with long, flowing hair. Dany opened the bottle and poured a small amount of its contents into her hand. It smelled good, like strawberries. She worked it slowly into her hair, hoping she was using it for its intended purpose. A thick foam began to form in her hair, and she quickly rinsed it out. She pulled her long locks over one shoulder, examining them for damage. There was none. Her hair now smelled of strawberries, just like the cream. And it felt softer than she ever remembered it being.

Dany examined the other bottles. One was labeled 'face wash,' so she squirted a little bit of it onto her fingers and gently massaged it into her cheeks and forehead. Then she used the one called 'body wash' to cleanse the rest of her body. When she was finished, she washed off all the suds and breathed in the fresh, wonderful scent of her skin and hair. Maybe this world wasn't all bad. She turned off the water the way Jax had shown her, and then used the towel he'd left her to dry herself. She slipped on the tight fitting black pants and sleeveless shirt she'd been given, then studied her reflection in the large looking glass hanging from the wall.

Her cheeks were pink and her hair fell in damp waves to her waist. The clothes were comfortable, soft, but she felt very out of place in them. Probably because they made her look very much like the strange people in this strange land, and very unlike the queen that she was. That was her goal, though, to fit in. She smiled at her reflection and opened the door, following her nose to a delicious smell coming from what Jax called the dining room.

She found him sitting at the table alone, a thin, square box in front of him labeled 'Pizza.'

He looked up at her and smiled. "Hungry?"


	3. Chapter 3

"May I ask you something?" Dany asked, swallowing the last bite of the most delicious pie she'd ever eaten, one covered with rich cheeses and meats and vegetables. Jax nodded, taking a swig of the pale-colored ale he was drinking from a small brown bottle. "Why are you being so kind to me? You don't know me. And I fear I've got nothing to give you in exchange for your hospitality."

Jax smiled at Dany, his kind eyes meeting hers. "Just seemed like the right thing to do," he said. "You looked like you were in a bad way last night. I've been there. So I thought I'd help you out. Better me than some depraved pervert, right?"

"Thank you, Jackson. You're a good man." Dany meant it as a compliment, but Jax looked pained, as if the thought of someone seeing the good in him was upsetting.

He quickly changed the subject. "Can I ask _you_ something?"

"Of course," she said, hoping his question was one she could answer.

"How old are you, Dany?" Simple enough.

She smiled. "I'll be 22 this year."

"You're still just a baby, then." A slight smile played across Jax's lips. Dany felt fire in her veins. _A baby?_ She'd been married, nearly a mother, lost her husband and child, freed thousands of slaves, and ruled over an entire kingdom in just a few short years. She was no _baby_. She stifled her anger and let out a deep breath.

"Where I come from," she said calmly, "I am plenty old."

"And where do you come from?" Jax asked.

Dany pursed her lips, deciding how to answer. "Somewhere very far away, and very different from this place."

"I'll say," Jax chuckled.

"Where is your family?" Dany asked. "You said you have children? I believe you called them monsters."

"I have two sons, Abel and Thomas. They went to the lake with my sister Trinity for the weekend. She helps me take care of them."

"And what of their mother?"

Jax was very far away all of a sudden, his eyes dark and full of mourning. "She's no longer with us," he said.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Jackson Teller." Dany's words were sincere as she reached across the table and placed a comforting hand on Jax's forearm. "Did she die during childbirth?"

The question brought Jax back to the present, and he looked at her, puzzled. "_What_? No."

"Was she killed by one of your enemies?"

Jax's face went pale as he looked off into the distance. "Yeah. Something like that." They sat in silence for a long moment after that, Dany allowing Jax to work through whatever he needed to.

"What about you?" he finally asked, breaking the silence. "Any family?"

"I had one once," Dany explained. "My husband and I were expecting a baby, a little boy. I carried him in my belly for nearly nine months. But I lost him just before he was due to be born, and my husband as well."

Jax looked at her, an unreadable expression on his face. He placed his free hand over hers, which was still resting on his arm. "I'm sorry for your loss, Dany Targaryen." A single tear spilled over onto Dany's cheek. She quickly wiped it away.

"We all have our crosses to bear, I suppose," she said quietly.

"That we do," Jax agreed. "Let's change the subject, shall we?" He pulled away from Dany, straightening in his seat. Dany nodded, taking a small sip from the brown bottle he'd given her. The ale was bubbly, crisp, and sizzled on her tongue. "Last night, when the cops found you. What happened? Were you on your way home from some sort of medieval convention or something?"

Dany frowned. "Some what?"

"That costume you had on. Were you in a play? Are you an actress?"

"Costume?"

"Jesus," Jax breathed. "Okay, we're gonna go through this again, apparently. Just…nevermind that last part. Last night. What happened?"

"I don't know," Dany admitted. It was true. The last thing she remembered before waking up in a cell was drinking the elixir Melisandre had prepared for her, the one that would take her to a land across several realms, where she would find the sorcerer who knew how to undo the blood magic that had taken Drogo and her son from her. According to Melisandre, he could bring them both back, alive and whole.

"Look," Jax said, his voice soft. "I really want to help you, Dany. But I can't do that if you don't give me anything to work with. I get that you're in a bad place. After my wife died, I did some crazy shit- completely lost my fucking mind. So I understand what you're going through. But this medieval shit- the costume, the 'mother of dragons' thing, the talking about kings and shit…it's gotta stop. I can't help you if you're locked up in a psych ward."

"I don't understand," Dany whispered, covering her mouth with her hand so that Jax wouldn't see her lower lip trembling. "What's a 'medieval?' You've said that to me a few times now, and I haven't the faintest idea what it is."

Jax sighed, pushing his chair away from the table and standing up. "Come with me." Dany followed him into another room, one with two chairs, a couple of small tables, a long bench against one wall, and a large black panel attached to the opposite wall. Jax picked up a small, rectangular box from one of the tables and pressed a button on it. Dany jumped as the panel on the wall sprang to life with voices and faces. "Sit down," Jax said. Dany sat in the chair furthest from the box, waiting for the two-dimensional people to come through the portal and into Jax's home. But they didn't. They didn't seem to be aware of her or Jax at all.

Jax pressed more buttons, causing the picture on the wall to change a number of times. Eventually, he settled on something that was familiar to Dany, the first thing that made sense to her since arriving in this strange place. And yet, it made no sense at all. Inside the box, there was a castle, much like the one Dany called home in Meereen. In the castle there were people- knights, maidens, lords, a king, a queen. All of them were dressed in clothes similar to Dany's, and talked in a manner she was accustomed to. _But why were they inside a box_?

"It's a movie," Jax explained. "It's not real. All this shit, it's just actors and costumes and props and special effects. This isn't the real world, Dany. The real world hasn't looked like this in hundreds of years."

"This makes no sense," she murmured, her voice unsteady. She rose from the chair and made her way to the box on the wall, pressing her fingers to it. It was cold, smooth- like glass. Jax was right. It wasn't real. "Melisandre…she lied to me. She sent me here to get rid of me so that her precious Stannis could rule the kingdom with no one left to oppose him. I should have known, I…" She turned to Jax, who was watching her, wide-eyed.

"Look, Dany. I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just trying to help you," he said.

"You can't help me. No one can help me now." Dany started for the door, but Jax followed her, grabbing her arm gently. She turned around.

"Please don't go. Just…let's make a deal, alright? I'll help you if you help me. We'll figure out what's going on together, but you have to cool it with the dragon shit, at least around other people. You have to dress like we dress, talk like we talk, follow our customs. When something freaks you out, like a TV or a motorcycle, just play it cool. Okay?"

Dany raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "So you believe me?"

"No," Jax said, shaking his head. "But I can tell that you believe it. So I'm not going to question it. I'm just going to help you do whatever it is you need to do to get back to where you belong, whether that's a house in Lodi or a kingdom across the seven seas. Okay?"

Dany smiled. "Okay."


	4. Chapter 4

Dany leaned back into the padded chair near the front window, fearing she might sink into it. She'd never seen such a pillowy piece of furniture. But then, she'd never seen a portal to another dimension hanging on a wall, either. Jax told her it was called a TV, and tried to explain to her how it worked, but she didn't understand.

Nothing that was happening made any sense to her, so she was trying to process it all in fragments. While she wanted nothing more than to mount a steel horse, or better yet, a real one, and go find the sorcerer Melisandre promised her was somewhere in this realm, she knew she had to be patient. She trusted Jax, and he was adamant that the most important thing for her to do was acclimate to her new environment, so she was trying to focus only on that. She could see in Jax's eyes that he was skeptical, that he didn't believe she was from a land like the medieval ones in his TV, But that was okay. Despite his doubts, he'd agreed to help her. That was all that mattered.

"Alright, Dany, I've got a job for you to do," Jax said, holding the box that controlled the portal on the wall. "The best way for you to get a crash course in American culture is to watch TV. You can study how people talk, how they dress, all that shit." He used the buttons on the box to change the picture on the screen several times before stopping. "Watch this. It's called reality TV, so it's real. Sort of. Just cameras following people around while they live their lives."

Dany quirked her eyebrow, confused. "So you want me to just sit here, and watch other people live their lives on your…TV, rather than have experiences in my own life?" Jax nodded. "Well that's just ridiculous."

"Welcome to the 21st century, baby," Jax chuckled. "Just pay attention…take notes, think of some questions for me, whatever. I've got some business to handle and I need to check on the boys, so I'm going to go make a few phone calls." This time, Dany didn't even have to ask. Jax saw the puzzled look on her face, and he knew. "Let me guess. You don't know what a phone is?" Dany shook her head. "Well then how do you get a hold of someone when you need to tell them something, or send them a message?"

"Crows and ravens?" It was more of a question than an answer. How did Jax not know that? No land Dany had ever been to was without them.

"Birds? You send your messages by _bird_?" Dany nodded. Jax roared with laughter. He shook his head as he headed toward the kitchen. "Birds…"

Dany smiled in spite of herself. As foreign as Jax's world was to her, hers was foreign to him as well. And while most of their differences were rather frustrating, some of them were downright comical.

She could just barely hear his voice in the other room as he made his calls. She tried her best to focus on the TV, to pay attention to what was happening on it. It was just so difficult for her to sit still and do nothing. It wasn't something she was used to.

After a while, Jax returned. He grabbed a set of keys from one of the tables, and slid a pair of white shoes onto his feet.

"Dany, I have to run to my shop for a bit. Are you okay here?" She looked up at him, her eyes glossy from boredom. "Or not. Why don't you come with me? Do some up-close and personal research on America's finest?"

"Like this?" Dany asked, pulling on the ends of her shirt. She'd seen so many different clothing styles on TV already, she wasn't sure what was appropriate for different occasions.

"Yeah, that's good," Jax assured her. "Just let me grab you some shoes." He disappeared down the hall and returned holding a pair of flat, black shoes made of cloth. Once again, he looked a little sad as he handed them to her, as if they held some sort of sentimental value. "Here. Try these."

Dany slipped her feet into the shoes with ease. "Perfect," she said.

She followed Jax out the front door, amazed by the glowing balls of light that littered the landscape. Jax had tried, and failed, to explain electricity to her. She didn't understand it, but she certainly appreciated it. It was beautiful.

She strapped on her helmet, which was nothing like the armored helmets she was used to back home, and slid in behind Jax on his steel horse, which he called a motorcycle. She watched in awe as glowing lights in all different colors zipped by in the night sky while they rode. When they arrived at a large, plain-looking building surrounded by the weakest fortress Dany had ever seen, Jax stopped.

"Is this your…shop?" Dany asked, unstrapping her helmet and hopping off the bike with ease.

"It is. Now, these people inside…they're kinda rough. It would probably be best if you engaged in conversation with them as little as possible. Just smile and nod as much as you can. Alright?"

"As you wish," Dany agreed.

The building Jax called his "shop" was full of people, loud noises, and smoky air. There were women dressed in next to nothing, touching and pressing their bodies against the men, flirting and laughing. It reminded Dany a bit of a pub she'd once visited while traveling, and a bit of a whore house. As soon as she and Jax walked through the door, all eyes were on them. The room fell silent.

Dany was aware of her beauty, she wore it like a badge of honor. Other women had been envious of her for as long as she could remember, so the scowls and glares did not intimidate her. Men had adored her all her life, so she was unphased by the way they all ogled her.

"Evening, everyone," Jax announced. "This is Dany. She's just a friend. Nothing to see here. Go about your business." Jax led Dany to a long, thin table with stools on one side of it and a wall of liquor on the other as the conversation among the crowd slowly picked back up. He introduced her personally to two men, Bobby and Chibs. They were older, their hair graying, and the shorter one was plump and had a long beard. Dany smiled and looked on as the men conversed with Jax, ignoring the dirty looks the scantily clad women mulling about the room were giving her. During a lull in the conversation, Jax turned to Dany and smiled.

"So Jackson," she said, unable to resist. "Which of these is your whore?" The old bearded man laughed so suddenly, he was unable to hold in the drink he'd just taken, but not yet swallowed. Liquor drizzled down his beard and dripped onto his shirt, which only made him, as well as Jax and Chibs, laugh harder.

"What happened to smiling and nodding?" Jax whispered into Dany's ear. She smiled, a small giggle escaping her lips. She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed. It had been ages.

Jax smiled back, his eyes crinkling in the corners. For the first time, Dany realized how handsome he was. Sure, his hair and his clothes and his mannerisms weren't what she was accustomed to, but he was wonderful in his own way- kind and funny, patient and understanding.

"What?" Jax asked, taking notice of the way Dany was looking at him.

She shook her head. "Nothing." Oh, how she wished it was nothing.


	5. Chapter 5

Dany tossed and turned in the unfamiliar bed, way too uncomfortable to sleep. The bed was too soft, the blankets too plush, the pillows too…pillowy. She was trying to come to terms with how different everything was in this land, but she was physically and emotionally exhausted, and had run out of tolerance hours ago.

She threw back the covers and pulled herself to her feet. She still wasn't used to how soft the floors were, covered from wall to wall in some sort of fuzzy blanketing. She quietly exited her room and found her way to the dining room, where there was a large door made of glass on the far wall. She grabbed the handle and pulled the door sideways rather than out, the way she'd seen Jax do earlier. It slid open with ease, the cool late night air blowing her hair back. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The breeze felt good on her skin. She stepped out onto the wooden terrace, barefoot, and looked up to find a bright, full moon, and stars as far as the eye could see. At least one thing in this strange place was familiar. She smiled.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" Jax's voice startled her. She searched for him in the dark, finding him in the far shadows of the yard, sitting on a wooden bench attached to a frame by wires, swinging slowly back and forth. He patted the empty seat beside him. "Me either."

Dany joined Jax on the swinging bench, but kept her attention focused on the sky.

"You alright?" Jax asked.

Dany bit her lower lip, considering his question. "I'm not sure," she said slowly. "I've tried and I've tried, but I just can't make any sense out of what's going on here."

Jax chuckled. "Well that makes two of us, darlin'."

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" Dany asked suddenly. She studied Jax's face, trying to gauge his sincerity as he answered.

"No," he assured her. "I don't think you're crazy. I just think you're…a little lost." Dany nodded in agreement, looking up at the moon.

"My husband, he used to call me 'moon of my life.'" She smiled sadly at the memory. "Usually, when I'm feeling lost, I can look up at the moon and feel his presence."

"Sounds like he really loved you," Jax sympathized.

"I don't feel him here," Dany said quietly. "I came here to find him, but I've never felt further away from him than I do now." She pressed her lips together tightly, afraid she'd said too much. Jax glanced down at her, a mournful expression on his face.

"You know," he began, his voice gravelly. "This is the house I lived in with my wife. This is where we raised our family together. I keep thinking that if I stay here, I'll always have her close to me. But I don't feel her here, either. I think that when our loved ones leave us, they're just gone. They're not tied to one specific place. We can't get any closer to them by staying in the same spot, or further away by leaving. We've just gotta keep 'em in our hearts, you know? That way they're always with us."

Dany stared up at Jax in awe. She'd never heard a man share his emotions so freely. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, taking a deep breath.

"Anyway…enough about that. How 'bout them Dodgers?"

Dany raised one eyebrow and smiled. "You are a strange one, Jackson Teller." Jax laughed, a hearty laugh that echoed in the night sky.

"Yeah, look who's talkin'!" They laughed together for a moment, then grew silent. "I'm gonna go inside," Jax said, standing up. "I need to try to get a little shut eye before the boys come home tomorrow." Dany inhaled sharply, suddenly realizing that she had much less time with her only friend in this land than she though.

"I'll head out when the sun rises," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Jax's brow furrowed. "_What_?"

"I assume you want me gone before your family returns," she explained, trying to sound nonchalant.

Jax shook his head, smiling. "Nah. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need."

"With you and your children? Me, a complete stranger?"

Jax casually crossed his arms over his chest. "Why not?" he challenged. "You're not crazy, right?"

Before she could stop them, the words Dany had been wondering all day tumbled through her lips. "Am I?" Her voice was barely a whisper, as if she was confessing to something. But what?

Jax spoke softly, his eyes locked on Dany's so that she had no choice but to believe him. "No," he promised her. "You're not."

When Dany awoke, the sun was high in the sky, which meant that it was nearing midday. Time in Jackson Teller's world had to move much faster, or slower, than it did back home, because she'd always been an early riser. She smoothed her long, white locks with the palms of her hands, still able to detect just the faintest hint of strawberries. She would have to wash it again soon.

She stretched her arms high above her head and smiled. For all of the things she didn't like or understand about this realm, it was not without benefits. She was safe, clean, and well-fed. There were no enemies on the horizon, monstrous bugs or dangerous beasts lurking about, or illnesses plaguing her camp. No one she'd met yet seemed like they'd put a sword through a man's heart merely for looking at them the wrong way. And she didn't feel the constant sense of urgency she'd grown so accustomed to at home. Things were much more relaxed here. Still, she missed her kingdom. And she missed her dragons. She wondered when it would be safe to bring up the dragons again, or if she should just keep thoughts of them to herself. That seemed to be the thing Jax had the hardest time with, although she didn't understand why. He had a steel horse, after all.

She meandered into the kitchen, wondering if there would be food- hoping that there was. She felt famished, although she'd just eaten the day before. Sometimes she went nearly a week without eating when she was traveling. Jax was seated at the dining room table with a man he'd introduced Dany to the night before, the one with the pointy face and clear blue eyes. He reminded Dany of a snake in human form.

"Mister Tig," she said, nodding politely. "Jackson." Jax smiled, the way Dany was growing used to him doing when she said or did something that he considered out of the ordinary. The look on Tig's face made her uncomfortable. She was grateful to be wearing the strange clothing Jax had given her, which covered most of her body.

"Hey, Dany," Tig said, looking her up and down. "How are ya?"

Dany smiled, taking a seat at the table, as far from the strange man as she could get. "I'm well, thank you. And you?"

"Oh, I'm good. I'm good. Hey, uh…I was wondering. You busy later?" Before Dany could respond, Jax punched the snake-man in the arm.

"Get the hell outta here, you idiot." He chuckled, but Dany had a feeling he was serious. "Let me know what Alvarez says after you talk to him." Tig's expression changed, suddenly all business.

"Will do, boss," he said, rubbing his sore arm. "Blondie." He bowed awkwardly in Dany's direction before he walked out of the room.

Jax shook his head, still smiling. "Sorry about that."

"Always at least one bad seed, I suppose," Dany empathized.

"More than one," Jax mumbled, getting up from the table. "You hungry?"

Dany smiled. "Very."

Just as she was finishing up something Jax called 'pancakes'- pieces of round, flat, moist bread with butter and maple syrup on them, the front door opened. Jax looked up from the parchment he was reading, which he referred to as a newspaper, and beamed.

"My boys!" he yelled, hastily getting up from the table and making his way to the living room. Two little boys dressed in bright colors charged at him, all giggles and smiles. The older one, Abel, was blonde like his father. Thomas, the younger boy, had dark hair and dark eyes. Dany decided he must take after his mother. Neither of them looked like monsters. In fact, they both looked like absolute angels. Dany stood up to greet them, but hung back toward the dining room to give them space. They had much to tell their father.

"Daddy, we went fishing, and I caught three fish!" Abel shouted excitedly.

Thomas bounced up and down, eagerly adding, "And I caught zero fish, but I got _five_ mosquito bites!" Jax laughed, lifting a child in each arm, grinning from ear to ear. He kissed them and hugged them and showered them with love in a way that made Dany's heart ache- both for the family she lost as an infant, and for the loss of her own child and husband. She'd never known the sort of love these children seemed to be well accustomed to. She blinked back tears, her heart swelling.

"We're home, we're home, we're home," announced a petite young woman with pale skin and fiery red hair as she bustled through the door carrying bags and sacks. Her accent was much different from Jax's, almost like that of the man Dany had met the night before, the one with scars on his face- Chibs.

"Hey, sis," Jax greeted her. "How was your trip?"

"It was…." The woman's voice drifted off as she and the boys all seemed to notice Dany at once. "Fucking aye, Jackson," she sneered. "Really?"

"Trin, it's not…"

"Daddy, who is she?" Thomas asked, pointing one chubby little finger in Dany's direction.

"This is my friend Dany," Jax explained. "She's really cool. Can you guys say hi?" Abel mumbled a quiet hello as he looked at the ground. Thomas didn't take his chocolate brown eyes off of Dany, but he didn't speak, either. He was much more interested in chewing on his fingers.

"Hello," Dany said softly. "It's lovely to meet you."

"Dany, this is Abel, Thomas, and my sister Trinity." Dany nodded at each of them, smiling. Trinity looked enraged, her cheeks turning a brighter shade of pink by the second. Jax paid her no mind. "Dany's going to be staying with us for a while."

"What?!" Trinity hissed. "You invited a crow-eater to live with us? Have you lost your mind?"

"Hey," Jax interrupted, his voice stern. "We'll talk about it later."

"We'll talk about it now," Trinity insisted. "And in private." She glared at Dany. A lesser woman probably would have been intimidated, but Dany was afraid of no one.

"Of course," Dany said calmly. "I need a….a…shower," she struggled to find the right word. "Take all the time you need." She could feel four sets of eyes on her as she headed down the hall toward the bathroom.

Dany tried not to think about Trinity's harsh words as she washed her skin and hair, rubbing her muscles to try to get them to relax in the warm water. But one thing stuck in her head.

"Crow eater?" she said indignantly. "I don't eat crows. Well…not unless I absolutely have to."


	6. Chapter 6

Dany sat on the edge of her bed, watching out the window as she raked her fingers through her wet, tangled hair. She could hear Jax's children playing quietly in the next room. Their little voices filled her heart with such joy. She'd always loved children, little boys especially.

She tried to focus on them rather than the hushed, angry voices coming from down the hall. Jax and his sister had been in deep discussion for nearly a half hour, and they didn't sound to be any closer to a resolution than before Dany got in the shower. She'd been so worried about how Jax's children would react to her being in the house, she hadn't given any thought to Jax's sister, which was silly. Because if anyone knew how wicked siblings could be, it was Daenerys Targaryen.

She often wondered how differently her life might have turned out if she'd not been left to fend for herself as an infant, with no one to look after her but her power hungry, half mad brother, Viserys. Then again, if it weren't for Viserys and his blind ambition to take back the iron throne, Dany never would have married Drogo. And she couldn't imagine her life without Drogo, no matter how brief their time together might have been. Dany became so lost in thought, she didn't hear the knock at the door.

"May I come in?" a soft, female voice asked, pushing the door open just slightly. Dany turned around to find Jax's sister standing in the hall, a defeated look on her face.

"Of course." Dany smiled, patting the bed beside her. She watched as Trinity reluctantly approached, sitting as far from Dany as the bed would allow. She looked nothing like her older brother- her hair was different, her eyes were different, her bone structure was different. Dany wondered if one of them mightn't be a bastard. She would have to ask Jax about it later.

Trinity cleared her throat and placed her hands in her lap, her posture tense. "I owe you an apology," she began. Dany held up a hand to stop her, but Trinity continued. Dany was not used to this land where people did as they pleased, rather than what she told them. She rather liked it. "I do," Trinity insisted. "I shouldn't have lost my temper right off the bat like that. It's just…" she took a deep breath, trying to decide how to proceed.

"You're trying to protect your family," Dany finished for her, an empathetic smile forming on her lips.

Trinity nodded. "Yes. My brother and my nephews, they've been through so much. The last thing they need is some crow eater swooping in and trying to fill Tara's shoes." Dany frowned. She didn't understand what Jax's sister had against crows.

"Trinity, I would never…"

"I know," Trinity interrupted. "Jax told me about your husband and your son. I'm very sorry for your loss. I just came in and saw you in Tara's house, wearing her clothes, your hair all a mess and I thought…well…I jumped to a conclusion that I shouldn't have." Trinity's cheeks flushed bright pink. Dany pursed her lips to avoid smiling.

"I did not lay with your brother, if that's what you mean," Dany promised.

Trinity raised an eyebrow, amused. "I believe that you didn't…lay with…Jax." The words did not come naturally to Trinity, and Dany realized she likely hadn't used the right ones. "I just want to make sure we keep it that way."

"Your brother has been very kind to me," Dany explained. "I have nothing but respect for him, his home, and his family. You have nothing to worry about, Trinity. He is a friend to me in my time of need, nothing more."

"Good," Trinity said with a quick nod, closing the subject.

"Good," Dany agreed, nodding in return.

"So we're cool, you and me?" Trinity asked. Dany wasn't sure what that meant, but she remembered Jax's insistence that she try to fit in and not let on when someone or something didn't make sense to her.

"We're cool," she affirmed, turning her attention back to her hair. Trinity sat for a long moment, just watching her. "Is there anything else?" Dany asked.

Trinity shook her head, blushing. "No," she said. "It's just…."

"Just what?"

"You really are very pretty," Trinity confessed. Dany was taken aback by the unexpected compliment. Before she could answer, Trinity exited the room, closing the door behind her. Dany smiled. Maybe _this _sibling wasn't so wicked after all.

* * *

Over the next several days, Dany fell into a comfortable, mundane routine. In her attempt to adapt to Jax's world, she put her mission on the back burner and did her best to learn about this strange new land. The more she learned, the less she understood, it seemed. Still, she got better and better about wearing a mask around others so that no one, not even Trinity, suspected how very different she was.

She would wake each morning in the bed that she was getting a little too used to. When she returned home, she would have a difficult time adjusting to the much less luxurious bedding Westoros had to offer, she was sure of it. She would shower, using all of the different creams and lotions for their intended purposes. She wondered if she'd be able to take some of that back with her when she left. She would help Jax with breakfast, sometimes even feeling so bold as to cook for everyone on her own, and then she would spend her days helping Trinity with the children and the housework while Jax was at 'work,' whatever that meant.

Everything was easier in this realm. Dany feared if she spent too long with Jax and his family, she'd have a hard time fending for herself when she returned home. Still, she enjoyed the reprieve from the brutal, primitive world she'd grown up in.

Though Dany was making significant strides toward adapting to life in the Teller household, Trinity seemed determined to keep her at arm's length. So Dany wasn't sure how to react the day she returned from her afternoon walk around the neighborhood and found Trinity crying at the dining room table. She didn't want to overstep or intrude, so she started down the hall toward her room- but something stopped her. Since when did she turn her back on someone in need, regardless of who it was? She might have been playing the role of "Dany," but she was still a Khaleesi.

"Trinity," she said softly, placing a tentative hand on the girl's shaking shoulder. "Are you alright?" To Dany's surprise, Trinity leaned into her side, her sobs becoming more violent.

"It's my ma," she cried. "She's very ill. She had a stroke this morning, and the doctors don't know if she'd going to make it." Dany seldom heard Trinity talk about her parents, but she knew now that she only shared a father with Jax, and that her mother lived very far away, in a distant land.

"Then you must go to her," Dany said, brushing wet strands of hair from Trinity's face as she cradled her head in her hands. "If your mother needs you, you must go."

Trinity's eyes narrowed. "I can't just…_go_. Jax and the boys need me."

"That they do," Dany agreed. "But so does your mother. I'd give anything to have known my mother, to have been able to look upon her, or feel her touch against my skin, even just one time." Her voice was wistful, and full of the deep longing of a motherless child. "You must go," she insisted. "I can help Jax with the boys while you're away."

The words offended Trinity, and a bit of her fire returned. "_You_?" she scoffed. Dany took a deep breath and tried to ignore Trinity's skeptical glare.

"I would protect those boys with my life." She and Trinity started at each other for a long moment, each trying to guess what the other was thinking. Finally, Trinity let out a long, mournful sigh, her shoulders slumping forward in defeat.

"Okay," she agreed. "I'll go."

* * *

After dinner that night, Jax took Trinity to the airport while Dany stayed with the boys. Dany wasn't sure exactly what an airport was, but she filed that question away with the million others she was saving for 'another time.' Trinity promised the boys she wouldn't be gone long, but due to the nature of her mother's illness, she couldn't say exactly when she'd be back. While Jax and the boys were unnerved by this, Dany was secretly a bit relieved, though she wasn't sure why.

She helped the boys with their baths, the way she'd seen Trinity do dozens of times, then let them pick out their pajamas and tucked them into bed.

"Good night, Abel," she said to the blonde haired little boy who was still too upset about his aunt leaving to be kind to anyone else. She ruffled his hair as he turned his back to her and hugged his stuffed frog tightly. "Good night, Thomas," she added, touching the dark haired, dark eyed beauty on his chubby little cheek. He smiled.

"Story?" he asked, raising his perfect little eyebrows, his eyes full of hope.

"You want me to tell you a story?" Dany smiled. Thomas nodded. "Oh alright," she sighed. "I suppose." She took a seat on the floor beside his bed, crossing her legs underneath her. She began telling him a tale about a beautiful queen from a faraway land- one who rode dragons and freed kingdoms from evil rulers. To Thomas, it was just a story. To Dany, it was reality. A few minutes in, she saw Abel watching her from across the room, listening intently. She motioned for him to join her and Thomas, and to her surprise, he jumped out of his bed and climbed into his little brother's.

As the boys' eyelids grew heavy, Dany's voice grew quieter, her words slower, until both boys were fast asleep. "And so Khaleesi, her King, and their beautiful little prince lived happily ever after in King's Landing." She stood carefully, so as not to make a sound. When she turned to leave the room, she was startled by a figure standing in the doorway, watching her. She had to cover her mouth to keep from screaming.

Jax held a finger up to his lips to shush her, trying not to laugh. With both hands still covering the lower half of her face, she followed him out of the room and down the hall.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well, you did!" Dany scolded him, the palm of her hand pressed against her racing heart. "How long were you standing there?"

"Long enough," Jax admitted. Dany scowled at him as she picked toys up off of the floor and threw them into the basket in the corner of the living room. "Thank you."

"It was just a story," Dany said, dismissing him nonchalantly. Jax moved in close, demanding her attention, his eyes locked on hers.

"No, I mean it," he said sincerely. "Thank you. For everything. You've been such a help to me and my sister these past couple of weeks. And here I thought I was supposed to be helping you." The way he smiled at Dany made her uncomfortable, but in the most wonderful way.

"It's my pleasure," she said. "And it's the least I can do, considering how kind you've been to me." She wished she didn't like the way Jax looked her up and down, or the way his breath felt on her skin.

"Tell ya what," he decided. "Tomorrow, I'll get outta work early, we'll order pizza for dinner, and then we'll put the boys to bed, have a couple beers, and talk about what I can do to help you with this mission you're on. I was supposed to be helping you with that, and I know I dropped the ball."

"Jax, you don't have to…"

"It's my pleasure," he interrupted, using her own words against her. "It's the least I can do." Dany smiled, nodding in agreement. "Okay?"

"Okay," she giggled, wishing the idea of alone time with Jax didn't excite her as much as it did.

"Now let's get some shut eye," he said. And as they walked down the hall toward their respective bedrooms, Dany wished she didn't love the way Jax's skin felt on hers as the palm of his hand grazed the small of her back. But she did. A little too much.


End file.
